The attorney for a 19-year-old Canton man convicted of robbing a downtown Brighton jewelery store said Friday his client's behavior was a "copy cat" crime he had read about on the Internet.

Defense attorney Kareem Johnson asked a Livingston County judge to follow the probation office's recommendation to sentence Elijah Aquil Henderson to one-year in the county jail for the smash-and-grab robbery at Rottermond Family Jewelery on Main Street in downtown Brighton in July 2014 while the prosecution argued for a minimum sentence of two years in prison.

"Mr. Henderson got caught up in a summer where everyday he's on the Internet seeing a bunch of young men going to the stores snatching watches. Copy cat," Johnson said. "He knows how much trouble he almost got in when the FBI came to see him and made the determination he had no connection with this national ring. This is a one time mistake; one time a person used lack of judgment. ... Twelve months (in jail) is more than fair for a first-time offender."

Judge Miriam Cavanaugh apparently agreed and sentenced Henderson to three years of probation with the first year served in the county jail. In announcing her ruling, she cited his lack of a criminal history, continued family support and the defense's argument Henderson can be rehabilitated.

"This court appreciates Mr. Johnson's allocution with regards to how it happened because it's hard for this court to understand how you could go from being completely law abiding, upstanding juvenile and into adulthood and come out with an unarmed robbery," the judge told Henderson.

"If nothing else, this is extremely poor judgment. It was stupid. It's just stupid. You guys scared a lot of people that day," the judge told Henderson, referring to him as well as two co-defendants. "That may not have been your intent, but that was the outcome."

Henderson, who offered an apology to the store owners and employees as well as victims who were not in court, was given credit for 271 days already served. He also was ordered to pay $7,360 in restitution for smashing the glass display case containing the Rolex watches and to complete the state's boot camp program.

During the trial, a Rottermond's clerk testified that he saw two men come into the store July 14, and one asked to see a $200 pendant for his mother. The clerk said while putting a pendant back, he heard a loud bang and saw the second man smash the display case four times with what he thought was a rubber mallet, but later realized was a steel hammer.

The clerk said both men — one of whom was Henderson — then stole three Rolex watches valued at about $25,000 before fleeing. He said he ran after the suspects, grabbing one by the neck area while the other stopped and held the door open.

The trio then fled in a Pontiac Grand Prix, but were stopped by authorities on Interstate 96 near U.S. 23 when the suspects made a U-turn and went the wrong way down the ramp. One suspect was arrested during the traffic stop while the other two fled and were found hiding in a Dumpster on Citation Drive.

Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Rose told the judge her sentence needed to reflect what this incident meant for the community, and he suggested that a minimum two-year prison sentence was required for the crime.

"Ask the question: You mean you can go into a jewelry store, take a five-pound hammer, smash a case, engage in a high-speed chase, lock up your brakes on I-96, drive the wrong way down an entrance ramp requiring the call out of helicopters, dogs and fire trucks to try and apprehend you after you've stolen $25,000 worth of gold watches and engage in $7,360 worth of damage to a case and you get one year in jail?" Rose said.

"You don't go to prison for that kind of conduct? ... I dare say a Joe or Jane citizen reading this recommendation for this type of conduct would be appalled," the assistant prosecutor added. "This is the type of conduct that a prison sentence is for."

The co-defendants — Darvon Lawan Smith Jr., of Kalamazoo, and Devon Maliek McCloud, of Warren — return to court Tuesday and April 24, respectively. Both men are charged with armed robbery.